1. Technical Field
This description relates to processing image data and associated two-dimensional barcodes, and, more particularly, to producing a document having a decreased-resolution reproduction of an original image as well as a two-dimensional barcode from which the original image can be reproduced, along with other image processing features associated with the document and barcode.
2. Description of Related Information
Barcoding is a widely used mechanism for facilitating the accurate and secure storage and communication of information. For example, two-dimensional barcodes are often used in retail environments for representing product identification numbers and prices. Alternatively, barcodes have been used on such objects as personal ID cards, driver's licenses, and passports as a way to store alpha-numeric data such as names and dates.
Existing barcode systems are also used to associate barcodes with documents, such as hardcopy paper documents and electronic documents, in order to facilitate their storage and distribution. Systems for transmitting documents having textual, schematic, diagrammatic, graphical and/or photographic information sometimes include components capable of providing documents and their associated barcode data in a secure manner. However, such barcode systems are often unable to preserve the entire image of a document. That is, existing barcode systems may have insufficient capacity to store the amount of barcode data necessary to substantially reproduce an original document image within feasible data parameters. Those systems that are capable of substantially reproducing a document from a barcode typically suffer from the consequences of large file sizes. Therefore, they may involve drawbacks such as unduly burdensome data storage requirements, slow file transfer, and other related disadvantages.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved transmission of sensitive documents wherein document image data can be safely stored in an encrypted barcode prior to transmission. There is also a need for a system and method of associating barcodes with documents such that the barcodes may encode enough information within a relatively small barcode to create a complete reproduction of the document. There is also a need to decrease the overall file size of a document and associated barcode while still providing, if desired, at least a reduced file size reproduction of the original document image.
In sum, there is a need for systems and methods for processing data of an original image in order to produce a document having a decreased-resolution reproduction of the original image and an associated two-dimensional barcode from which the original image can be reproduced.